(A) It is the policy of the city to discontinue utility service to customers by reason of nonpayment of bills or when a violation of this chapter occurs only after notice and a meaningful opportunity to be heard on disputed bills or other disputed violations of this chapter. The city’s form for application for utility service and all bills shall contain, in addition to the title, address, room number, and telephone number of the official in charge of billing, clearly visible and easily readable provisions to the effect:
(1) That all bills are due and payable on or before the date set forth on the bill and that all violations of this chapter are to be rectified in a certain time period;
(2) That if any bill is not paid by or before that date or a violation is not rectified, a second bill or notice of violation will be mailed containing a cutoff notice that if the bill is not paid or the violation is not rectified within ten days of the mailing of the second bill or notice, service will be discontinued for nonpayment or failure to rectify the violation; and
(3) That any customer disputing the correctness of his or her bill or a violation of this chapter shall have a right to a hearing at which time he or she may be represented in person and by counsel or any other person of his or her choosing and may present orally or in writing his or her complaint and contentions to the city official in charge of utility billing or City Clerk-Treasurer to request an appeal to the full City Council. This official shall be authorized to order that the customer’s service not be discontinued and shall have the authority to make a final determination of the customer’s complaint.
(B) Requests for delays or waiver of payment will not be entertained; only questions of proper and correct billing will be considered. In the absence of payment of the bill rendered or resort to the hearing procedure provided herein, service will be discontinued at the time specified, but in no event until the charges have been due and unpaid for at least 30 days and the violation has not been rectified within 30 days.
(C) When it becomes necessary for the city to discontinue utility service to a customer for nonpayment of bills or failure to rectify a violation, service will be reinstated only after all bills for service then due have been paid, along with a turn-on charge in the sum of $20.
(Ord. 17-8, passed 2-12-2001; Res. 15-107, passed 1-12-2015)